Secondhand shopping has become a first choice

Mar. 30, 2009

Jaden Evans, 1, keeps mom Robyn company as she shops at Lulu's consignment shop on US 25 in Fletcher Wednesday afternoon. Targeted thrift store shopping can be a great family moneysaver. / Steve Dixon/sdixon@citizen-times.com

Written by

Alexandra Morris

Kate Muir and her son Quinn, 7 months, shop at Lulu's consignment shop on US 25 in Fletcher Wednesday afternoon. Buying at consignment shops, thrift stores and yard sales may take time to find what you need, but the items found can be as good as new and the money saved is significant. / Steve Dixon/sdixon@citizen-times.com

SECONDHAND SHOPPING TIPS

• Check out your favorite consignment and thrift shops regularly. Ask when new items are put out. • For rummage, garage and yard sales, arrive early — preferably at or before the start time — before the good stuff is sold. Applies equally to flea markets. • Check the classified ads on Thursdays. Many two-day sales start on Fridays. Even if you work 9-5, you may be able to get to a sale before work — and before the stock is depleted. • Among one-time sales, rummage sales by churches or community groups typically have the greatest variety. Next priority is neighborhood or group sales, with several families participating. Single-family sales come last. • Bring your own bags. • Always bring cash, but bring only what you can afford to spend. Leave the rest at home. • If you find a great deal, hold onto it. It won't be there when you come back. • If your first thought is that the price is too high, you're probably right. Move on. • It never hurts to ask for a lower price. Be reasonable, be polite and accept the answer, even if it's no. • Keep a running list of items you'd like to find, updated every week, and try to stick to items on that list. Budget a weekly amount for impulse purchases not on the list, and stick to your budget.

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For many people, thrift store shopping has become not just a whim or hobby but a first choice for meeting basic needs.

“With the economy, I couldn't clothe my three kids,” said Debbie Wong Chong, who works at LuLu's Consignment Boutique on Hendersonville Road in Fletcher and also shops there, as well as at garage sales.

Store owner Angie Heidenreich, who opened the store two years ago, said she has seen an increase in consigners and shoppers recently because of the economic crisis.

To get the best bargains through second-hand shopping, research is important, Heidenreich said. She recommended visiting the National Association or Resale and Thriftshops Web site, www.narts.org, to learn about the stores near you before you go out to shop.

One thing to know: Consignment shops typically split sales revenues with the items' owners, while most thrift shops accept donated goods that are sold to raise money for charity.

LuLu's policy is, as long as an item sells within 60 days, the owner will have the option of receiving cash or store credit for the donation.

“People genuinely appreciate that we are here,” Heidenreich said. “Smart shoppers choose consignment because you save money, you make money and you recycle.”

For people whose top priority is the lowest price, charity-run stores such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill are a good bet.

“We're actually seeing quite a few new faces from shoppers who are trying to stretch their dollar,” said Jaymie Eichorn, director of marketing and communications for Goodwill Industries of Northwest N.C. Donations, however, have decreased, she added.

Eichorn describes thrift-store shopping as a “treasure hunt.”

“There is something new every day; there is a pretty good chance that you are going to find something worth $100 unit priced at $3.50,” she said. “You've got to hunker down, and do the search.”